Just Remember
by 1Doctor
Summary: A trip to the swimming pool reawakens old memories for the Doctor. But does he still have to face it all alone?


I don't normally do this kind of message at the start, but I just wanted to tell you something! I've used the tenth Doctor, because I just couldn't imagine the ninth Doctor in swimming shorts, but I wanted to add Jack into it. So I've sort of cheated and added Jack anyway! The Doctor sort of explains how he's there, so I'll leave it up to him. He's better than me! Enjoy!! 1Doctor xxx

Just Remember

'Swimming? You want to go swimming?!' The Doctor stared at Rose as if she had grown 5 heads, although that would probably have had less effect. When Rose only nodded in response, he continued, 'I can take you anywhere in the Universe to anytime, but you want to go swimming! And in a pool! On Earth!'

By now, Rose was gleefully smiling behind her hands at the Doctor's response. 'What's wrong with swimming? Oh wait, don't tell me, you can't swim?' At this the Doctor's facial expressions were too much, and Rose burst into laughter. 'Just checking! After all, something as mundane as swimming might have been overlooked whilst you were being trained up in the Time Lord Academy!'

'I assure you, Rose Marion Tyler that I can in fact swim, and will prove it to you. I just can't get why you want to go back to Earth to swim in a plastic pool with artificial trees and pathetic excuses for slides and 'rapids', when I know of at least 50 amazing planets that are dedicated to the very recreation of swimming …'

Before he could continue any further Rose butted in with a short response of 'and how many brilliantly dangerous inhabitants live in these fantastic waters?' When the Doctor subsequently shut his mouth, possibly to try and count the number of said beasties, Rose continued, 'Exactly, so I want just one day where I am not running, or in this case swimming, for my life. Plus it'll be a chance to see my Mum and Mickey again.' With that she turned on the spot and headed for her room, presumably to collect her swimwear, leaving the Doctor in the middle of the console room, wondering out loud what had just happened.

'By the looks of things mate, you've just been out-smarted by our resident ape!' Jack stood in the doorway, leaning on the frame eating that looked like bright pink ice cream. After travelling to New Earth and Scotland, Rose had persuaded the Doctor, as only she could, to go back and get Jack. After ensuring she knew that Jack could only stay with them for a short period of time, and that when the time came, Jack would have to be left, to fulfil the path that had been laid out for him, Jack had rejoined the 'dream team', as he called them. The Doctor was not unhappy to have him back, although he occasionally felt the small creature inside of him awaken whenever Jack's hand rested longer than was necessary on Rose's shoulder, or kissed her whenever he felt the slightest bit of happiness. True, the kisses were only on the cheek, and Jack acted the same with the Doctor, and anyone else who was in the vicinity at the time, but this seemed irrelevant to the Doctor. 'Again!' Jack added with a smile as he too left, undoubtedly to find some sort of article that could resemble swimming shorts in the maze that was the clothes room.

The Doctor punched in the co-ordinates of the Powell Estate, hoping against hope that Rickey the Idiot was unavoidably detained and wouldn't be able to join them on their outing on Earth. Of course, ol' Mickster would drop whatever he had planned the moment he knew Rose was back. _She's just got that affect on us men!_ he thought as he turned round wondering where his two companions had got too, not looking forward to the reunion that was to follow.

Ten minutes later, they set out once again, this time with Mickey in tow, after an emotional reunion with Jackie and Mickey, well for Rose anyway. The other two had found it quite sickening and painful to watch, for the Doctor especially, as he received one of the infamous Tyler slaps, due to the fact that he had not brought back Rose in 10 seconds as she had apparently promised once.

'So where is this delightful pool of yours then Rose?' Jack asked, glancing round slightly, as they all tried to keep up with the pace of the Doctor.

'Well, if you'd have only listened to me, we would have been there by now. But no, the Doctor knows exactly where he is going doesn't he?'

'For one thing, I believe that Jack asked Rose, not you Mickey, and secondly I know exactly where I'm going. We are going to the swimming pool. You just failed to specify which particular one.' The Doctor shot back, not in the least bit bothered how his retort had sounded.

'What he means Mick, is that he is lost but refuses to accept any help.' Rose ran up to the Doctor and naturally fell into step with him. 'I think you'll find that we need to take a right here.' She added at an undertone, so neither Jack or Mickey could hear, earning her one of the Doctor's secret smiles as thanks.

'Right chaps and chapettes! Eeeww that is one of the words that I do not wish to say again! Make a mental note of that one please Rose. Anywhat, I do believe that we have arrived at what you apes call a swimming pool. Personally I call it a plastic hole in the ground, and if you really want to see a swimming pool then let me take you to the planet Therme in the Westfalen region of the Lippe sector, which incidentally is where you would find the most amazing creature called the Cal…' the Doctor broke of suddenly after he glanced at their faces. 'So, Rickey, you paying then?!'

Before any of them could take in what he had just said, the Doctor began skipping towards the entrance singing a tune, which Rose hoped was not from the Doctor's latest obsession, High School Musical.

'This place is great!' the Doctor shouted as he and Jack flew out of the slide, after 2 hours in the pool.

'Knew you would warm up to it in the end Doctor!' Rose replied, as her and Mickey rocketed into the pool, only to be caught by the Doctor before her head went under. Looking at the Doctor now, it was hard to realise that he was actually a 900 year old alien. He just looked like a 20 something human, enjoying a day out with friends, which was exactly what Rose had wanted. After the events at the Torchwood estate in Scotland, including being banished, the Doctor had been in a peculiar mood, which seemed to lighten only slightly by the reappearance of Captain Jack. Rose smiled up at him, before looking round for Jack and Mickey. Jack didn't seem to notice the position of the Doctor's hands on Rose's bare skin and promptly chose this time to cast his experienced eye on the other people in the pool. Mickey, however, was staring daggers at the Doctor, who may have sensed this as he threw Rose in the direction of Jack, and shouted 'Last one in the outdoor pool buys lunch!' before jumping out of the small slide pool, and running the short distance to the whirlpool, which led to the outside.

As the Doctor had predicted, Mickey was last. His excuse was that he did not want to push through the little kids, as Jack and the Doctor had done.

'You are such a sore loser!' Rose replied smiling, before the Doctor splashed water in his face. The water fight which followed cleared the whole outdoor pool, which was no mean feat.

'Um, where'd everyone go?' Rose asked, after managing to escape.

'Who cares?!' came Jack's retort. 'Fancy a shoulder fight D?'

'A what? And don't call me D' the Doctor replied, as he sat on the small ledge that ran the length of the pool.

The shocked faces on Rose, Mickey and Jack told the Doctor that he had a lot to learn when it came to Earth swimming habits.

After a quick demonstration, the Doctor shouted 'bagsie Rose on my shoulders!' leaving Jack to climb onto a disgruntled Mickey's shoulders.

For the Doctor and Rose, the fight itself was not as interesting as the way each felt at the contact between them. Granted, they held hands basically all the time, but never before had the Doctor's hands been placed on Rose's thighs whilst her own legs were wrapped around his shoulders and bare chest. Unknown to the other, this new experience caused something inside of them to ignite, creating feelings that neither thought were possible.

'Er, Doc? You know the whole point of Rose being on your shoulders is that we have a shoulder fight, not for you two to just stand there day-dreaming!' Jack brought them both back to the present planet and the uncomfortable knowledge that they weren't alone.

'You know, I'm kinda hungry. Anyone else fancy some chips?' Mickey asked, before dumping Jack back into the pool and swimming towards the partition between inside and out.

Suddenly feeling guilty, Rose lifted the Doctor's hands off of her legs and slid somewhat reluctantly off his back and swam after Mickey with a flash of a grin to Jack, who followed after splashing water into the Doctor's face to try and help him recover from Rose's actions.

A few minutes later, the Doctor joined them at the table, where steaming hot chips were waiting. With a slightly shifty smile, he sat down and they all tucked into their chips, discussing what they planned to do for the rest of the day.

'So, you all had fun then?' Jackie asked a few hours later, when the four of them traipsed into her living room. Rose nodded, before sitting on the couch.

'Yup! It was SO much fun! Seriously Jackie, I don't know why you dislike it so much. You really need to get into that pool more, it'll be the most fun you've had in AGES! What?!' The Doctor asked, looking from the surprised look on Jackie, Mickey and Jack's faces, to Rose's slightly satisfied one. 'I did have fun! But I could really use a cuppa right now Jacks!' And without waiting for a response from any of them, he turned round and promptly collapsed on the sofa next to Rose. 'Thanks Rose. I really did have a good time, you know.' She just smiled in response, sensing that he had more to say. 'I just wanted to say sorry, for the way I've been acting lately, especially since Scotland. It just brought back bad memories about … home.' Rose looked into his eyes, and what she saw scared her. Here was her Doctor, confessing his inner-most emotions and feelings with fear, loss and sadness shining unintentionally in his eyes.

At this moment, Jackie and Jack decided the two needed space to talk and comfort each other, so headed to the kitchen to make some food, followed by Mickey, albeit reluctantly. It seemed that the obvious, easy closeness between the Doctor and Rose still created dislike and jealousy in Mickey, which Jack understood. He himself had felt the same the first time he was rescued by this mysterious pair. Now though, he could see just how much warmth, hope and love was given out by, and for, both of them, and that it would take a great deal to separate them. The feelings had by no means disappeared, just diminished.

Realising that they were now alone, Rose reached for the Doctor's hand, and held it in both of hers, unconsciously stroking the back of his hand. Gradually, the Doctor regained his composure and continued with his painful journey back to his past, 'Back on Gallifrey, as Time Lords, you are taught not to interfere. 'Everything has it's time' was pretty much the motto of the Academy. But I never understand why we couldn't. I mean, I know about changing history and the Reapers and all the things like that, but when the destructive events themselves are going to change history if we do nothing, why couldn't we help? I was given plenty of extra chores and lectures for that thought, I can tell you. But when I grew up, the notion didn't leave me, in fact it grew stronger. I just couldn't sit by and watch innocent, helpless people and planets destroyed, whilst we just watched. So one time, I think it was sometime after my 350th birthday, I decided to do something about it. I stole one of the travelling ships, later to be made into my own TARDIS, and went and straightened out the course of events that were being changed. I don't want to give you the details, but to say the Elders were angry was pretty much an understatement, it almost caused my first regeneration.' Rose shuddered, as her imagination filled in the gaps of the Doctor's story. Sensing Rose's discomfort, he turned to face her, and held her hands in both of his own. 'I was banished from Gallifrey, exiled from my own home, never to see my family again. That was the hardest part of the sentence. As attached as I was to Gallifrey, I had always wanted to go travelling, but to leave my family forever; I'll never forgive the Council for that. I just wanted you to know that. The events at Torchwood just brought me back to that dark time in my life, being sent away, alone. I never thought I would have to feel that pain again, well after the Time War anyway.'

'But you aren't alone Doctor. You've got me, whether you want me or not. You're stuck with me. And whilst you have me, you have my family too. OK, so that might not be a good thing, but I'm here for you. For whatever you want. Just remember, you are not alone.' Rose finished forcefully, even though inside she felt like she was breaking. It destroyed her to see her Doctor; the strongest, bravest person in her life slowly let her into his life, and see the pain it took for him to do so.

They sat there for a few moments, each staring into the others' eyes, trying to make the other understand what they really wanted to say and promise. Suddenly the Doctor let go of Rose's hands and pulled her towards him into a fierce hug.

'Thank you Rose. For everything. For bringing hope and life back to me, for bringing me home, for saving me. Thank you.' The Doctor murmured in Rose's ear as they clung to each other, in desperation, support and love.

'You're welcome my Doctor' was all Rose could say.


End file.
